Egypt's Mubarak Won't Run for Re-election

By Jeralyn, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:01:28 PM EST
Tags: Egypt, Mubarak (all tags)

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Update: Finally Mubarak speaks. New thread for speech here.

Update: (10:50 pm Cairo time): Mubarak sure is drawing this out. Egyptian state TV is still saying "any minute."

Update (10:26 pm Cairo time): Still waiting for Mubarak's statement. Apparently, it will be recorded, not given live. MSNBC reports President Obama may speak afterwards.

Update (10:08 pm Cairo time): The crowd is getting louder. They are chanting "Freedom" and "May it be tonight." The crowd also seems thinned out. (In the crowd I saw a sign from today saying "Yes we can too." ) Here's a live screengrab from al Jazeera's live feed.

Update (10 pm Cairo time): You can watch the release of Mubarak's statement live when it happens here.

Reuters reports, via Al Arabiya TV, that Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak will give a speech today and say he's decided not to run for re-election in September. He also says he has "a solution." [More...]

Isn't it time for him to go now?

Update: President Obama has called Hillary Clinton and other members of his security team to the White House for a meeting this afternoon. It's well past sunset in Cairo and the protesters are still out in force.

Update: New York Times reports President Obama told Mubarak he shouldn't run again.

The message was conveyed to Mr. Mubarak by Frank G. Wisner, a seasoned former diplomat with deep ties to Egypt, these officials said. Mr. Wisner’s message, they said, was not a blunt demand for Mr. Mubarak to step aside now, but firm counsel that he should make way for a reform process that would culminate in free and fair elections in September to elect a new Egyptian leader.

Update (12:44 pm MT): Al Jazeera says he will speak shortly. It's live video feed is here.

Update: Egyptian State TV says it will be a statement, not a speech.

Updates moving to top of thread.

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Egypt's Mubarak Won't Run for Re-election | 36 comments (36 topical)

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Don't understand this guy (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by Saul on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:12:54 PM EST

He is like 83. Has served for 30 years. Is probably a multimillionaire if not a billionaire.
What else do you want out of life. Come on man. Yet he wants to stick around like he's got another 30 years of life.

Some people just don't know when to fold them.

he wants to install his son (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:14:28 PM EST

I agree that it will be very interesting to see if he is included in his "solution"

meanwhile its reported armed thugs are infiltrating the crowd. this could get very ugly Im afraid.


The son would have to be an idiot (none / 0) (#13)
by Saul on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:16:07 PM EST

to stick around. I would not give 2 cents for his life if he got installed.


That's what many said of (none / 0) (#16)
by Buckeye on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:36:01 PM EST

Ahmadinejad. He is still around.


: U.S has no say so in Iran (none / 0) (#18)
by Saul on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:43:42 PM EST

but we do in Egypt. Like several billion a year say so. That is leverage IMO

At least one Democrat used to get it (5.00 / 1) (#22)
by ruffian on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:51:52 PM EST

Jerry Brown, 1980

"In a world made small by jets and satellite communications, our oceans and our missiles will not protect us if we separate ourselves from the wider longing of humanity.
"Liberty for us? Certainly it is our most precious possession. But also justice for all, wherever on this earth. That can become the dream of tomorrow."

1980 - when today's communications were unimaginable to most of us. I hope we get ourselves on the right side of history on this one.

I hope the Egyptian people will (5.00 / 1) (#32)
by Anne on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:28:01 PM EST

make their voices heard if it turns out Mubarak's "solution" is only a solution for him, and not for them.

Will be interested to see how the US handles this, how much US influence will be seen in the Mubarak solution and whether that will turn the heat up on anti-US sentiment if it isn't acceptable to the Egyptian people.

The demonstrating and protesting is, in many ways, the easy part of this process; putting together some kind of interim government that is both acceptable to the nation and will allow essential elements of it to function is going to be the hard part.

I have my fingers crossed that this will mark a positive turning point for the people of Egypt.

Will not be enough (none / 0) (#1)
by Saul on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:03:06 PM EST

IMO for the crowd. They want him out now along with his cronies in the military

no (none / 0) (#2)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:04:02 PM EST

will not fly. he has to go.

: only if elections are held (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:04:46 PM EST

immediately not in a year.

This sounds like the John Kerry solution (none / 0) (#3)
by ruffian on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:04:37 PM EST

I doubt it will be enough.

To clarify, Kerry this morning suggested (none / 0) (#5)
by ruffian on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:05:56 PM EST

that, for the sake of a smooth transition, Mubarek announce that neither he nor his son will run in the next election. Does Mubarek's announcement include his son?


egypts economy has ground to a halt (none / 0) (#7)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:08:14 PM EST

it will stay there until he is gone. with his son and his vice president


: I agree. (none / 0) (#11)
by ruffian on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:13:50 PM EST

I know some people saw this coming, but I sure did not. Stunning.

: Assuming Mubarak and his son are out (none / 0) (#24)
by oculus on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:00:33 PM EST

of the picture, what, in your opinion, will restart the Egyptian economy? IMO, not tourism, which is a huge portion of the economy.

Definitely not enough... (none / 0) (#6)
by kdog on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:07:19 PM EST

a promise not to run in Sept. and a new toaster for every Egyptian ain't enough.

Pack it in Hosni...it is written, you're done son.

this is sort of painful to watch (none / 0) (#8)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:09:44 PM EST

he clearly is still in the bubble. I hope the cameras are around when he is dragged out of it.

protest leader on AJ (none / 0) (#9)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:12:14 PM EST

we are fine. we are having fun. probably more than he is. this is in no way acceptable.

I doubt the protestors would be (none / 0) (#14)
by oculus on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:23:42 PM EST

appeased if Mubarak immed. resigned but his new VP took his place until Sept.

AJ liveblog (none / 0) (#15)
by lilburro on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:33:22 PM EST

reports Mubarak is going to speak tonight. It's ...9:30 PM at the moment there I think. They're all past curfew now aren't they?

Do I understand correctly (none / 0) (#17)
by andgarden on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:42:36 PM EST

that Obama precompromised on behalf of the Egyptian people?

Oh lord. . .

It's horrible (5.00 / 2) (#20)
by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:47:08 PM EST

They are in the streets, they can't afford to go on this way but yes, it seems that our President is going to try to precave for them. Somehow I don't think Egyptians give a rip what our President has to say about any of it. And if our President isn't very careful, he could become the next oppressor in their minds who arms and trains the Egyptian military.


: They don't care about the US (5.00 / 1) (#25)
by waldenpond on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:02:22 PM EST

It's great to see the statements.... the US needs to stay out of it, it's none of the US business, Mubarak is a US puppet, etc. If you watch the US coverage, they focus on how twitter and fb are covering it... when this shallow perspective was pushed onto a protestor, he said eff the internet, let Mubarak cut it off, they didn't need no stinkin' internet. :)
It will get tough if electricity, water and food are cut off to further oppress them.

Indeed (none / 0) (#19)
by ruffian on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:46:22 PM EST

and he got his best guy - John Kerry - to float it!


Total idiots (none / 0) (#21)
by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 01:50:47 PM EST

Do they really not have a clue that the fact that these people are oppressed is not the straw that finally broke this camel's back? It is about them not being able to afford a roof over their family's head and what we have now done to the cost of their food. I agree they need freedom too, but they had learned how to live without that and we were fine letting them be freedomless. Now they want to be able to live and eat AND freedom too and they want that NOW.


You can be tone deaf... (5.00 / 1) (#28)
by Dadler on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:16:11 PM EST

...but this is more like tone deaf, dumb and blind. Just stay out of it. This administration has the instincts of a possum in headlights. And they get flattened in the road just as much. The only thing we should do is NOT MEDDLE. That is ALL.


: If we have any voice within the military there (none / 0) (#31)
by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:27:05 PM EST

we need to keep up the pressure that the military will not attack the people. If the military likes their M-1 plant you will not attack the people, if they want their Apaches and their jets to continue to be serviced by the American contractor companies that are doing it now....you do not attack the people. If there is any place I'm okay to meddle in that is it.
Hmmmm....do I really think our government has any power over for profit contractors servicing USA made military equipment overseas though in a petroleum controlling middle eastern country? Seems sort of iffy at this point. I still don't even know how such services get farmed out to for profit private companies. Capitalism has made us crazy.

Well, we've seen how much (5.00 / 0) (#30)
by observed on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:21:46 PM EST

empathy Obama has for the lower 40% in the US (zero), so this is no surprise.


My thoughts too (none / 0) (#33)
by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:29:10 PM EST

He does not seem capable of empathy for the poor or suffering of this country, why would he have such a thing for the poor and suffering of another country? My thoughts if the people of Egypt tell him to stuff it too is that he will then feel sorry for himself and tell himself that the world does not deserve him :)


There's a left libertarian--I'm sure (none / 0) (#35)
by observed on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:36:26 PM EST

you know the guy, but the name escapes me--lives in NY, writes a lot about war. In his analysis, there is no possibility that any US President isn't a complete, utter sociopath. His main reasoning is that a person who wants to be US Presidents is actively seeking life and death power over millions, in the course of normal policy, and of course the the power to kill billions kept in reserve.
Obama is very much like Bush in his complete, scary lack of empathy.


: Arthur Silber---powerofnarrative blog (none / 0) (#36)
by observed on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 04:16:21 PM EST

It all does add up (none / 0) (#23)
by ruffian on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:00:27 PM EST

The final straw is the trigger, but doesn't start something like this on its own.

I doubt the crowds would go home if Mubarek gave them food for a year at this point. That idea may have saved the Kuwaiti ruler however.


Kuwait really doesn't have any poor (5.00 / 1) (#26)
by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:07:14 PM EST

You and I would probably have been much luckier if we were born Kuwaiti :)


: No thank you! (5.00 / 1) (#27)
by ruffian on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:13:57 PM EST

Florida is hot enough for me!

Next suggestion from the O team: (none / 0) (#29)
by observed on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:17:37 PM EST

Mubarak should install his son as head of a "caretaker" government.


: Not as floated by Kerry (none / 0) (#34)
by ruffian on Tue Feb 01, 2011 at 02:30:43 PM EST

I doubt he would go off the reservation on something like this.